Pee in the Hot Tub

We don’t soak in your toilet please don’t pee in our hot tub! We’ve all seen the “humorous” sign posted next to hot tubs.

But, what happens if someone pees in the hot tub (and actually admits it)? Or, yikes, you can see it!? It’s no joking matter.

Here’s what our guest blogger today,Terry Arko, Recreational Water Specialist at SeaKlear has to say about the havoc pee in the hot tub causes:

When draining the hot tub is not an option, most people throw chlorine into the water to disinfect. That may not be the best solution as chlorine can combine with urea to form what are known as disinfection by-products (DPB’s) and those can be very irritable to the eyes and lungs.Current research has verified that chlorine combined with urea from urine forms an irritable airborne gas.

In hot tubs pee may not be the only problem. Urea can also be found in human perspiration as well as on the surface of the skin. One person can deposit as much as 1 pint of perspiration in 30 minutes.So, even if someone doesn’t pee in the hot tub urea can still be present from the immersion of the skin and perspiration while soaking. Urea makes up about 50% of urine. High levels of urea can serve to attract bacteria growth that can lead to poor water quality. Overall urea is generally regarded as safe and has no great effect in contact with skin. Again, the biggest issue from urea in hot tubs would be when high levels are combined with chlorine.

What to do?

One of the best ways to keep levels of urea down in the hot tub is to simply take a cleansing shower before soaking. This will remove most of the urea on the skin surface. Limiting soaking time to 20-minute intervals can help to reduce the amount of perspiration being released in the water.

Benefits of your own hot tub: One of the best benefits of having your very own Hot Spring Spa is that you have control over who uses it and the cleanliness of the water.Public hot tubs are subject to all sorts of human interactions that are not always monitored or controlled properly. Think of taking a bath with all your neighbors and their kids. Hot tubs are an excellent way to relax, repair and rejuvenate. Owning your own hot tub in your own backyard brings much more peace of mind. And you won’t have to worry about the person next to you peeing in the water….. Hopefully!